The Way Back Home
by Dark Fire VI
Summary: This is the first of a planned trilogy. Jack Fletcher is finally on his way back home, but reaching Nagasaki was only his first set of challenges. Now he has to battle the sea and its menaces for the next two years. Alone, it would seem impossible. It's a good job his friends are with him to help. Rated T for violence.
1. Chapter 1: Casting Off

**Young Samurai: The Way Back Home**

**Notes:**

_**Important note: this story covers what happens after Jack finally leaves Japan. It also includes references to previous books and the ending of the final one, so if you haven't read the whole series, DO NOT READ THIS if you don't want it to be spoiled.**_

**I know I haven't released anything for a while, but that's about to change. I'm no longer working on my other stories, but intend to stick with this one for a while.**

**I do not own any characters from the Young Samurai series, only a couple of OCs that may appear along the way. The first of a planned trilogy, this is set after The Ring of Sky, when Jack, Akiko and Yori are on their way to England. But can Akiko and Yori handle life on the waves for two whole years?**

**Chapter One: Casting Off**

Japan disappeared with the sunset. Jack Fletcher looked back at the country that he had lived in for the past four years. As the islands faded away into his memories, he thought of his guardian, Masamoto Takeshi, and his friends Benkei and Saburo. He wondered whether they were still watching his ship disappear into the distance, or if they had already turned to make their way home from Nagasaki to Kyoto. He remembered how difficult the journey had been for him and his friends the first time. Then again, he had been on the run from the Shogun himself with half the country on his tail. Jack was a _gaijin, _a foreigner, from England. Having been shipwrecked off the coast of Japan four years ago, Jack had spent the last year of that time crossing the country in a bid for the freedom that the port of Nagasaki had promised. The first three years had been spent training as a samurai warrior at the _Niten Ichi Ryū_ in Kyoto.

Those first few years had been Jack's best in Japan. He, along with his best friend Akiko and adoptive brother Yamato, had trained under Masamoto's instruction to be formidable samurai. His thoughts turning to Yamato, Jack felt a sudden sadness well up inside of him. Yamato had been killed by Jack's nemesis, Dragon Eye, at the Battle of Osaka Castle. He had thought the ninja had perished too, but as he had discovered, Dragon Eye could never die. This was because Dragon Eye didn't have a true form. When one "Dragon Eye" died, the next most skilful in his clan took up the mantle where he left off, inheriting the mighty sword Black Cloud.

Because of Dragon Eye, Jack had lost almost everything. His father had been garrotted by the ninja on the day of his arrival in Japan, and at one point he had even stolen his father's _rutter. _The navigational logbook was Jack's last connection to his father, and his only chance of getting home. Without the _rutter, _Jack would have no idea how to get back to England. Thankfully, he had gotten it back.

His side having lost at the Battle of Osaka, Jack had said goodbye to all his friends and set off by himself for the journey to Nagasaki. _Daimyo _Kamakura, who had then become the Shogun, banished foreigners and Christians like himself. Even while trying to obey the Shogun's orders and leave the country, he had samurai and _dōshin _alike on his trail, ordered to bring him in dead or alive. All Jack wanted to do was get to Nagasaki and take a ship home, but the Shogun had other ideas. With samurai at every corner, Jack had been forced into the Iga Mountains, where he had been kidnapped by ninja and subsequently trained in their ways. Making a lifelong, if unexpected, friend in the ninja girl Miyuki, Jack had fought with the ninja to defend their homeland. Unfortunately, it was one more battle he couldn't win, and the ninja village was destroyed.

Leaving the ninja to recover high up in the mountains, Jack had continued with his journey until he ran into some trouble with a group of thugs, who had beaten him in a surprise attack and stolen all his possessions. With the help of a drunken _ronin _and a girl thief named Hana, he had recovered his possessions, including his swords, black pearl and the _rutter_. Coming next to a farming village, Jack had found himself fighting against the vicious bandit Akuma. Alone, he wouldn't have stood a chance, but a handful of his friends had caught up with him, as well as a few new ones. Miyuki and his school friends Yori and Saburo then joined him on his quest. Together they battled the bandits as well as the pirates of the Seto Sea before finally reaching Nagasaki, where Akiko had caught up with them as well. Unfortunately, there was a conflict and Miyuki hadn't survived.

When Jack had finally reached Nagasaki, news had come that the Shogun was no more and _daimyo _Takatomi had taken his place as Regent. As a friend to Jack, the Regent had pardoned him and his friends, meaning he was free to stay in Japan. But he still had to get home to his sister.

Faced with two lonely years at sea with only the treacherous Captain Spilbergen for company, Jack had asked the impossible question of his friends: to come with him. Saburo and Jack's guide, Benkei, had declined, but Yori accepted in the hope of broadening his horizons and Akiko joined him too, refusing to break the bonds of their friendship even for her newly re-discovered brother, Kiyoshi.

Yori now stood to his left, Akiko on the right. He looked at his friends and knew he would enjoy the following two years with them. But he also wondered whether it was truly right to bring them with him. Akiko and Yori were his closest friends, but he knew they would struggle in England. Not only did the way the English may greet them worry him, but also how difficult it would be for them to adapt to British culture. Jack recalled how difficult it had been for him to adapt to the Japanese culture at first. In Japan, the streets were clean and everyone was polite. Back in England, filth and disease plagued the streets and everyone seemed to be a drunkard searching for a fight. Given his way, Jack would gladly have stayed in Japan, but besides his banishment, he had to get back to his sister. With only an elderly neighbour for company, Jess Fletcher was left home. Jack wondered where she was now. She could be in a workhouse for all he knew. Or – dare he think of it – dead.

Jack had finally left all the suffering of Japan – Dragon Eye, his rival Kazuki with his Scorpion Gang and the Shogun's samurai – but now he faced another two years at sea. After all he had been through, the journey home would seem safer, but Jack knew otherwise. Leaving Japan alone would be fraught with danger, with ninja pirates at every turn. Once he was out of Japan, he would have to deal with the Portuguese, the sworn enemy of his country. Even on a Dutch ship, he knew he would have to fight his way home. His journey had only just begun.

"Jack, are you alright?" Yori asked, his small voice filled with concern.

"Why wouldn't I be? We're going home, aren't we?" Jack replied with unconvincing calm.

"You look concerned," Yori looked him in the eye as if appraising him, and Jack marvelled at how similar Yori was to their old Zen Master, Sensei Yamada. After the _Niten Ichi Ryū _was closed by the Shogun, Yori had become Sensei Yamada's apprentice, leaving the life of a samurai behind to become a monk. But that hadn't quite worked out for him, and fate brought him back onto the path of the warrior. As Masamoto had once said, _the path of the warrior is lifelong. _

"I was just thinking about my time in Japan. About everything I lost." Jack admitted.

"You miss her, don't you?" Yori asked sympathetically. Though he hadn't said her name, Jack knew Yori was talking about Miyuki. He gave Yori a silencing look, and he took the hint. Akiko looked questioningly at them. As Yori knew all too well, Jack and Akiko's bond went just above the lines of friendship. As Yori had pointed out, Miyuki had similar feelings for Jack. To talk about her in front of Akiko wouldn't be wise. He wouldn't have felt comfortable about it at any other time either. But now he was with Akiko and Yori at the beginning of a new adventure. Nothing that happened before mattered anymore. There was only Jack, Yori, Akiko and the future.

The silence they lapsed into was suddenly broken by a hoarse shout from a crewmember in the crow's nest, "PIRATES!"

**So, that's chapter one. I apologise for the lack of action so far, but I had to recap the original stories for the benefit of any reader who hasn't read them but liked the look of this story. Feel free to review, and don't worry: I can handle criticism. In fact, I welcome it. Without criticism, I won't know how to improve. I hope you enjoyed it, chapter two should be up in a short while.**


	2. Chapter 2: Pirates!

**Young Samurai: The Way Back Home**

**Notes:**

**In this chapter, the action will pick up a bit. We last saw Jack Fletcher as a crewmember on his ship announced that pirates were approaching. Now let's see how that went down.**

**Chapter Two: Pirates!**

"Trim the mainsail! All crew to starboard cannons! Blast the pirates out of the ocean!" ordered Captain Spilbergen in Dutch. The crew immediately fell about preparing for the ensuing battle, leaving the three young samurai forgotten on deck. Jack beckoned to Yori and Akiko to follow him and ran toward the captain, who was still barking orders to his crew.

"What can we do to help?" He asked of the captain, knowing that if the ship was sunk he would never get back home.

"You can get below deck and stay there. We can't risk losing our pilot, can we?" Spilbergen replied bluntly before returning to the task at hand. Jack tried to press on that he wanted to help, but Spilbergen was having none of it.

"Go! Now!" Spilbergen commanded. With no choice, Jack, Yori and Akiko retreated below deck and waited for the sound of cannon fire.

Taking a seat upon a selection of barrels, the young samurai looked at each other with concern.

"You don't think we'll have to fight them, do you?" Yori asked timidly. He had always hated fighting, although there was no denying he had skill.

"I don't think so, no. The Japanese pirates won't be any match for our European cannons." Jack reassured him confidently.

"But what if they do get on board?" Yori persisted.

"Then Jack and I will protect you." Akiko joined in, a determined look in her eye. Yori looked as if he wanted to say more, but was interrupted as the blast of cannon fire rang through the air. The young samurai covered their ears against the explosive noise, their ears ringing already. Their ship's shot was swiftly answered by the ring of a Heaven cannon from the pirate ship. Jack began to worry. He knew the pirate ship was no match for their superior cannons, but the crew on board might be ninja pirates. Jack had seen the devastation these pirates could cause first-hand, even taking part in one of their raids. Of course, that wasn't a willing action. He realised there could be Wind Demons underneath the ship setting charges as he sat there.

Without uttering a word to his friends, Jack stood up and ran to the rickety steps leading above deck. Warily poking his head upward, Jack saw that the pirate ship was now directly opposite their own. Boarding planks ran across the two ships and Spilbergen's crew was only keeping the pirates at bay with a layer of suppressive musket fire. But every time someone tried to remove the planks, they were killed by an arrow from the pirates. Daring to step on to the deck, Jack looked across at the ship and breathed a sigh of relief. Their attackers were only _Wakō, _not ninja pirates. Confident that Spilbergen's crew could fend off the lowly pirates, he returned below deck and told the others what he saw.

"That's a relief," stated Yori, though he continued to tremble at the thought of their attackers. Akiko gave Jack a relieved smile at the news, but just before she could say anything shouts began to sound out above deck.

"Repel boarders!" shouted the familiar voice of Spilbergen above the sounds of musket and cannon fire.

"We have to help them!" Jack said, drawing his _katana._

"You're right. Without a crew, we can't sail home." Akiko agreed only half-jokingly. Yori trembled, but gripped his _shakujō _tightly in readiness. Akiko took up her bow, a gift from their _kyujutsu _teacher Sensei Yosa, and strung a hawk-feather arrow.

"Forever bound to one another." Jack recalled the phrase that had given him and Akiko luck in previous battles, extending it to cover Yori. Akiko repeated the phrase and the young samurai rushed above deck to join in with the battle.

While Akiko stood far back from the conflict, shooting arrows into the _Wakō, _Jack and Yori fought against the pirates head-on. Slicing the nearest pirate with a diagonal cut from his _katana, _Jack glanced over at Yori to see him whirling the _shakujō _with deadly efficiency, foiling any attempt to slice him with a sword while simultaneously dispatching anyone near enough. Jack smiled slightly at his little friend's surprising combat skills while effortlessly defeating his own enemies. Spilbergen and his crew stood awestruck out of the way, watching the young samurai defeat the invaders with practised ease.

As Jack defeated his last foe, he saw twice as many pirates preparing to board. Drawing his shorter _wakizashi_, Jack dropped into a Rising Sun guard stance. This was a stance of the Two Heavens, an unbeatable sword technique that his guardian Masamoto had taught him and Akiko. As the first wave of attackers boarded the ship, he began to work his swords into a blur of attack and defence. For every attack he parried with his _katana, _he stabbed another pirate with his _wakizashi. _Before long, the young samurai had defeated all the attackers and kicked away the boarding planks. Fully aware that the pirates would have a captain hiding away on the ship, Captain Spilbergen commanded the crew of his ship to open fire on the cabin. Jack wouldn't have done such a thing, but he had to admit that the pirate was getting what they deserved.

As the pirate vessel was consumed by the waves, Jack's ship sailed on to continue its journey.

**That's all, folks! Sorry this chapter was so short, but I felt that this was a good place to start a new chapter. Please review if you have something to say. It's what I write for.**


	3. Chapter 3: Chinese Storm

**Young Samurai: The Way Back Home**

**Notes:**

**Jack Fletcher's journey continues. Having defeated the **_**Wakō, **_**the young samurai now sail forth to continue their journey.**

**Chapter Three: Chinese Storm**

The ship sailed across the still sea off the south coast of China. After their confrontation with the _Wakō, _the young samurai had gone nearly a month without incident. But Jack knew the peace couldn't last. Having spent two years at sea on the journey to Japan in the first place, he knew they would be subject to more pirate attacks, Portuguese resistance and-

"Sea Storm!" shouted a terrified voice. Jack closed the _rutter _and left the pilot's cabin to see the threat for his own.

Above deck, Captain Spilbergen barked commands to his crew in a desperate attempt to restore order to his crew. As the ship crested a large wave, Jack could tell they had entered the storm. The boat began to rock violently as rain pelted the already sodden crew.

"Tighten the sails! Tie down any loose cargo! If it can be moved, get it below deck!" Spilbergen ordered. When his orders had been carried out, he shouted, "Get below deck!" before firmly grabbing the tiller. As sailors began running in all directions, Jack ducked back below deck and turned to find Akiko standing behind him.

"Is it bad?" she asked, concern showing in her chestnut brown eyes.

"Nothing she can't sail through," Jack replied, patting the sturdy wooden wall.

"Good," Akiko said, relieved. With Akiko in pursuit, Jack walked back to the pilot's cabin and took a seat, inviting Akiko to sit beside him.

"Jack, I've been thinking," Akiko began. Jack took his eyes off the sea charts on his desk and looked Akiko in the eyes, showing that he was paying attention. "If we're going to England, then shouldn't you teach Yori and I some of your language?" Jack cursed his stupidity. He hadn't even thought about preparing his friends for their arrival, focusing only on getting there.

"Yes, you're right. But it'll have to wait – I have to guide the ship through this storm." He replied. After so many years of speaking Japanese, Jack had almost forgotten that most Englishmen didn't speak the language. But he had to keep his priorities straight; if they didn't make it through this storm, knowing English wouldn't be so useful.

"I should go, and leave you to your work," Akiko said, standing up and making ready to leave.

"No, stay. I could use the company." Jack asked of her. Akiko nodded and took back her place by his side.

"Fletcher! What's the course?" called down Spilbergen. Built especially for storms, Jack's cabin had a watertight tube running in from the tiller. Using this, he and Spilbergen could discuss coordinates without getting the _rutter _and his sea charts wet and ruined. Taking a quick look out of a porthole, he observed the stars of the night sky through a break in the clouds. Using the constellations, he could navigate by the stars, a trick taught to him by his late father, John Fletcher.

"We're headed too far south, turn starboard 25 degrees," Jack called back. He felt a jolt of movement as the captain did as he suggested.

"You sound like you know what you're doing," Akiko noted, impressed. Jack allowed himself a grin.

"Only because of my father," He replied modestly, but truthfully. His father had taught him everything he knew about piloting a ship.

"What was he like?" Akiko asked tentatively. When Jack took a moment to think about how to respond, Akiko mistook his hesitation for hurt. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked," she blustered.

"No, no it's fine. I was just thinking of how to respond," Jack corrected her. Akiko looked relieved that she hadn't offended him, and he again felt the strong bond they shared. "His name was John," Jack began, a faint grin on his face at the memory of his father, "Like me, he was a sailor – a pilot like none other. He was the one who made the _rutter _and filled it with his secrets. He's the one who coded it and made sure only him and I knew how to decode it. He was a very intelligent man, and always knew what to say and when to say it. When he suggested I come with him to Japan, I jumped at the chance to spend more time with him. It was the first voyage we both went on. And our last…" Jack trailed off as a tear formed in his eye at the memory of his father's death. Again, he saw Dragon Eye garrotting his father on a ship not unlike this one, the _Alexandria. _He felt as if he was going to burst into tears at that very moment, but the soft touch of Akiko's hand on his shoulder soothed him.

"He sounds like he was a great man," she consoled him.

"He was," Jack agreed, Akiko's sympathy giving him strength. They shared a tender moment before the captain's voice echoed down the tube again.

"I need your help up here!" he shouted. Jack apologised to Akiko before rushing up to the deck.

"Jack, thank God you're here. I need your knowledge of the waves right now," Spilbergen greeted him. Jack acknowledged the captain before casting his eyes to the stars. Trying to ignore the rain pelting his face, he realised that a thick layer of cloud obscured the night sky.

"I can't see the stars!" he declared, dismayed. Spilbergen looked at him incredulously.

"You need the _stars _to navigate?"

"They help," Jack stated.

"Fascinating. But it's not navigation I need your help with right now, I need you to take the tiller and steer us through this storm," the captain told him.

"Me?" Jack asked, surprised at the request.

"Who else?" Spilbergen said, before thrusting Jack's hands onto the tiller.

"You!" Jack responded. It was now his turn to sound incredulous.

"My muscles ache from fighting the tides and your Japanese friend tells me you know your way around a ship in a storm," Spilbergen persisted. Before Jack could argue, the captain had run off into his cabin. _Aching muscles! _Jack scoffed, _scared of a little thunder, more like it._

Despite his initial reluctance, Jack found himself enjoying the situation. His feet firmly planted on the slippery deck, Jack soon got into his stride. Countering every wave, Jack guided the ship through the storm. After almost three hours of sailing, the ship finally stopped rocking so violently and the rain petered out. Not long afterward, the clouds parted to reveal the night sky.

"Captain, we're safe!" he called out. Spilbergen emerged from his cabin and took back the tiller.

"You did good, kid," he praised. Jack, tired out from fighting the storm, trudged back to his cabin to find Akiko gone. Too tired to care, he flung himself into his hammock and fell into a deep, cleansing sleep.

**Ah, nothing like a good sea storm to bring out the best in people. And with the end of the storm comes the end of the chapter. I hope you've enjoyed reading this just as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Keep your eyes peeled for chapter four – I'm feeling very productive today.**


	4. Chapter 4: American Dream

**Young Samurai: The Way Back Home**

**Notes:**

**Having faced **_**Wakō **_**and sea storms, Jack Fletcher is still on the move. Almost a year has passed already with only the occasional sea storm to slow them down. Travelling via the Americas, Jack's ship now approaches South America. Jack is now torn between docking in South America to pick up supplies and continuing on. The decision sounds simple enough, but Jack knows that the lands are full of native tribes with no issues against killing invaders. Will the natives kill him, or starvation?**

**Chapter Four: American Dream**

"Land ho!" called down the crewmember in the crow's nest. Pausing from teaching Akiko and Yori English, Jack ran to the prow of the ship. To the scout's credit, Jack observed the horizon filling with the distinctive rise of land.

"America," breathed Jack, much to the confusion of Akiko and Yori. He hurriedly explained that the Americas were a country with mainly tribal folk populating it before meeting with Spilbergen to discuss the prospect of land.

"Captain, I suggest we stop by South America and restock our supplies. Currently we only have enough food to last another 6 months out of 14," Jack suggested.

"Are you mad?" Spilbergen exclaimed, "The Americas are full of tribal people who would kill us just for food! It's a land of cannibals!"

"That may be, but without stopping there we won't have enough supplies to continue," Jack persisted.

"And if we do stop there we may end up some cannibal's meal!" Spilbergen countered. The two traded reasons to go and reasons not to until finally reaching a decision.

"Akiko, Yori and I will take our weapons and you and your crew can take muskets. The most the cannibals will be armed with will be spears made of tree branches. We'll be completely safe," Jack assured the captain. With a sigh, Spilbergen conceded.

"Make for land!" he announced to the crew, "We need supplies!"

As the ship drifted to a halt on a beach, Jack attached an _obi _to his tunic. Wearing nautical outfit instead of a kimono made the _obi _difficult to attach, but he succeeded in the end. Helping Yori onto the land, Jack waited for Akiko to cross the gangplank. The steadiness of dry land making him somewhat dizzy, Jack watched Akiko as she joined the other two young samurai. A jungle was the dominant landscape beyond the beach, and the young samurai led a handful of the crew into the jungle to forage for some food. The Captain remained behind on the beach and fished with the rest of the crew.

Drawing his swords, Jack entered the jungle. Leading the group, he cut down any vines in the way and found a large clearing surrounded by berry bushes. _Jackpot. _He thought, instructing his team to pick what they could find. Side by side, Akiko and Jack knelt down and began to fill a wicker basket with berries.

"How many do we need?" Akiko asked after a while.

"As many as we can find," Jack replied. The two young samurai worked in silence for a while, the only sound the buzz of conversation between the sailors.

A sudden scream assaulted their ears as Jack spun round to see a sailor dead of the floor, a wooden spear in his eye.

"Attack!" called out Jack, drawing his swords. Akiko and Yori hurried to his side, each gripping their weapons tightly. Jack, using his ninja training, spotted shadows moving in the trees.

"There!" he called out to Akiko, who put an arrow into one of the shadows. All of a sudden, as one seething mass, the natives rushed the sailors, spears in hand. The sailors used their brawn to fight off a few cannibals, if they got near enough, but it was Akiko who made the most kills. With their assailants now out in the open, Jack and Yori engaged them in battle. Yori whirled his _shakujō _in a hurricane of destruction while Jack used his Two Heavens training to slice any spear in his reach, taking out the cannibals' weapons so the others could strike. Jack suddenly felt a presence behind him and whirled about to see a cannibal leaping for him. He tried to raise his swords in defence, but knew it was too late. He prepared to stand against the flying barbarian, but instead watched it fly to the left, an arrow in its side. Turning again, he saw Akiko wink at him. He mouthed a quick thank you before returning to the task at hand.

The sailors gathered up the berries and ran for the beach, leaving the young samurai to finish off the remainder of the cannibals. A sudden shout alerted Jack to Yori. Finishing off his last attacker, he whirled about to see his short friend lying on the ground, the tip of a spear in his shoulder.

"YORI!" he shouted, distraught at the sight of his bleeding friend. Akiko shot down the barbarian who had injured their friend, but Yori still lay undefended in the face of more assailants. Rushing to his aid and fuelled by fury, Jack charged the attackers and struck them down with a furious combination of Two Heavens and Sixteen Secret Fists strikes. Executing a flint-and-spark strike followed by Fall Down Fist, he finished off the last assailants and knelt down beside Yori.

"Yori, are you alright?" Jack asked, not truly wanting to know the answer. For a moment, Yori lay still as death, but then he stirred and responded.

"I'll… be alright," he wheezed, "As long as you get me back to the ship." Jack yanked out the spear tip, tossing it aside as he lifted Yori and supported him with his shoulder. Akiko hurriedly supported his other side and they carried Yori back through the jungle toward the ship.

**Another short chapter, I'm afraid, but I don't see any better place to end this chapter than here. Will Yori survive the spear injury, or has this monk run out of prayers?**

**Stay tuned for chapter five, in which this question and more will be answered.**


	5. Chapter 5: Treachery

**Young Samurai: The Way Back Home**

**Notes:**

**With Yori's life in the balance, Jack must now find a way to save his friend. But that's not his only problem: with the Americas behind them, Jack and his friends are now entering the area of the sea in which the Portuguese patrol. Can they get past the warships, or will the Portuguese put an end to Jack's hopes of returning home?**

**Chapter Five: Treachery**

Yori lay in his hammock, his shoulder bandaged up and laid to rest. Jack knelt over him, performing the _kuji-in _hand sign for _Sha, _healing. He chanted the mantra for it and directed the power toward Yori's injured shoulder. The boy had passed out in Jack's arms as he laid him down in the hammock, and Jack hoped his attempts had worked. After several minutes of performing the mantra, Yori's eyes fluttered open, much to the relief of Jack and Akiko, who breathed a shared sigh of relief.

"Jack… Thank you," Yori spluttered.

"Don't worry about it, just make sure you get plenty of rest," Jack instructed him. With Yori on the route to recovery, Jack returned to the pilot's cabin with Akiko, leaving Yori to recover in peace.

Six months later, Jack awoke with fear in his heart. Yori had made a full recovery from the spear injury, but now they had bigger problems. With America behind them, the ship was now in European waters. And with European waters came Portuguese vessels determined to keep Englishmen like him out. So far, his ship had avoided any patrols, but their luck was bound to run out soon. With only eight months to go, Jack almost began to think they would pass unhindered. But it was a foolish notion.

With their arrival in England so near, Jack had increased the regularity of his English lessons with Akiko and Yori. Yori, ever the diligent student, had picked up the language with surprising ease, and was now able to hold a whole conversation in English. He and Jack now conversed only in English, a method used to improve his knowledge through real situations. Akiko was learning well, but as yet lacked Yori's proficiency in the language. So Jack gave her extra, private lessons. Truth be told, he was glad of their time spent alone together, and felt their bond grow stronger with every session.

"Good morning, Jack," greeted Akiko in English.

"Good morning," Jack replied, a smile on his face. However, he couldn't help but notice the look of concern on hers.

"The captain requests your presence. It's important," she informed him. Jack thanked Akiko and hurriedly dressed before heading above deck to meet the captain.

"Ah, Jack. I'm afraid I have bad news," Captain Spilbergen said with a grave look on his face.

"Portuguese?" Jack asked, though he already knew the answer. Spilbergen gave a slight nod.

"A whole fleet of them. A small fleet, it's true, but they still outnumber us."

"How many?" asked Jack, not sure if he actually wanted to know the answer.

"Three," replied the captain. Jack breathed a sigh of relief.

"We can handle three ships with the right tactics, I'm sure," he said confidently, but Spilbergen didn't seem so confident.

"Three _ordinary _ships, yes. But one is an imperial monitor," he revealed. Jack nearly lost all hope then and there. A monitor ship, armed with a mounted mortar cannon, could destroy their ship before they even got it in range. They didn't stand a chance.

"We've got to turn around; get out of range!" Jack panicked.

"We can't," the captain replied solemnly.

"Why not?" Jack asked, incredulous. Could he really have come so far just to be blown out of the water by a Portuguese warship?

"Because we're already in range of the mortar," Spilbergen revealed. Jack didn't understand why the Portuguese weren't firing already. The Dutch and Portuguese were sworn enemies, and as far as he understood, they were resolved to blast each other out of the seas whenever their paths crossed. So why weren't they at the moment?

Jack watched as the Portuguese fleet drew nearer, but still no shots were fired. To Jack's utter shock, the ships even drew to a halt directly beside their own. Boarding planks were lowered from the monitor to their own ship, and they didn't even attempt to resist. Only when Spilbergen grabbed Jack from behind and held him securely in his arms did he finally understand what was going on: he was being betrayed!

Jack watched in horror as Akiko and Yori were dragged up from below deck and restrained similarly, while a single figure walked confidently down the boarding plank.

"Jack Fletcher," the man said in a drawl that portrayed a cruel intent.

"How do you know my name?" Jack asked, his guard up immediately.

"Father Bobadillo told us of you and your book," the man revealed, "We've come to claim it for our own." With that question answered, Jack turned on Captain Spilbergen in disbelief.

"You betrayed us! Why would you hand us over to your country's enemy?" he accused.

"Do you want to know a secret?" Spilbergen asked in his Dutch-accented version of English, "I'm not really Dutch, I'm Portuguese," he revealed, his accent turning to the latter.

"You lied to me! You lied to me to steal the _rutter,_" Jack almost shouted. Spilbergen gave a non-committal shrug and threw him to the ground at the Portuguese man's feet.

"He's all yours. Take the Japanese ones, too, they might prove useful in persuading the boy to divulge his secrets," Spilbergen told him, not even trying to disguise the threat against Akiko and Yori.

"NO!" Jack cried out, leaping to his feet, but Spilbergen simply grabbed him from behind again and handed him to the newcomer. Ordering two of Spilbergen's men to carry Akiko and Yori onto the monitor ship, the Portuguese man dragged Jack across the gangplank and onto the ship where his fate would be decided.

**Ooh, what will happen next? Can Jack's luck hold out and allow him to find a way off the monitor ship and back to England, or will the ship be his final destination?**

**As always, please feel free to review if you have any comments or critiques. **


	6. Chapter 6: The Monitor

**Young Samurai: The Way Back Home**

**Notes:**

**When last we saw Jack Fletcher, he had been betrayed by Captain Spilbergen and handed over to the Portuguese, who want the secrets of his **_**rutter**_**. Jack knows he is in no real danger until he reveals the **_**rutter's **_**secrets, but it's not as simple as not telling his captors. They also took Akiko and Yori, and now threaten their lives as encouragement for him to divulge the **_**rutter's **_**usage. If he doesn't reveal his knowledge, his friends may be in severe danger. Will Jack break on board the monitor, or can he save the day yet again?**

**Chapter Six: The Monitor**

"Here are his possessions," Spilbergen said to the captain of the monitor, dumping the contents of a bag onto his desk. Out fell Jack's Shizu swords, spare clothes and, wrapped in its protective oilskin, the _rutter. _

"Excellent," the captain declared, ignoring everything else and taking up the rutter. He then turned to Jack, who was tied up in the corner with armed guards surrounding him. "I am told you can decode this logbook?" Jack gave a nod, deciding honesty would be the best tactic for the moment.

"Untie me and I can show you," he said.

"Nice try, Englishman. I knew you would try to trick me. You English are all the same: treacherous scum," the captain spat, "Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way," he said, as if he truly hoped Jack would take the hard way.

"What do you want?" Jack asked distrustfully.

"You will reveal the secrets of the _rutter. _If you do, we'll send you on your way to that cesspit you call home," the captain promised.

"And if I don't?" Jack asked, but he thought he knew the answer.

"Your friends die. That girlfriend of yours is very pretty. It would be a shame to waste such beauty," the captain answered, fingering a knife lovingly.

"You leave Akiko alone!" Jack shouted, struggling against his bonds, but to no avail.

"I will," the captain said in a mock calming voice, "if you tell me your secrets." Jack stopped struggling. To reveal the _rutter's _secrets to this man would be an insult to his father's memory and a betrayal to his home country. But at the same time he couldn't let Akiko or Yori be harmed. He remembered being in a very similar situation last year, when dealing with the Wind Demons of the Seto Sea. He had been kidnapped by the ninja pirates and forced to divulge the secrets of the _rutter_. He had done so, but leaving out key parts. Tatsumaki, the pirate queen, had grown to trust him and allowed him free rein of Pirate Town. But he assumed the Portuguese Navy wouldn't be so trusting of him.

With a resigned sigh, he decided that Akiko was more important to him than anything else right now.

"I'll tell you the _rutter's _secrets," he conceded, "Just don't harm Akiko."

"Deal," the captain said, shaking Jack's hand roughly, "have him untied, but keep the door locked and an armed guard outside every exit to this cabin," he instructed Jack's guards. A glimmer of hope ignited in Jack's heart at the idea of being untied. He knew he could overpower the captain. But that hope soon disappeared as he realised he would then have to face his whole crew _and _get off the ship. This far from land, he would surely drown.

"Set a course for England, I'm confident Jack here will have spilled his secrets by the time we arrive," the captain instructed his crew. Jack's spark of hope rekindled at the mention of freedom.

Six months later, Jack was still on board the monitor ship. He could tell by the stars that the captain had stayed true to his word about going to England. Jack was now alone with the captain in his quarters, translating the _rutter_. One time, Jack had tried to tell the captain he refused to do any more. Yori had received some fierce lashings as a result and Jack had bitten his tongue ever since.

When his session with the captain had finished, Jack returned to the hold where he, Akiko and Yori were being kept along with a few barrels of gunpowder.

"I don't see any way out," whispered Akiko upon his arrival. She had been pacing their cell for hours on end trying to think of an escape plan, but to no avail.

"I do," Jack whispered back. He then explained his plan to Yori and Akiko, who both nodded with approval.

"When do you think we can do it?" Akiko asked in an almost silent voice.

"In about two months," Jack replied.

"But that's when we arrive in England," Yori whispered.

"Exactly," Jack agreed.

With only two weeks until their arrival in England, Jack was running out of material to decode. His mind was a mixture of anticipation and anxiety as the day of his plan approached. Knowing their sessions decoding the _rutter _were fast coming to an end, Jack knew he had to execute his plan soon. But at the same time, he knew he couldn't be too hasty. His plan relied on them being within swimming distance of England. Luckily for Jack, the captain was cutting their meetings short frequently, both out of a need to prepare for docking at England and because he wanted to draw out the meetings so he could keep an eye on Jack for longer. This worked out perfectly for Jack, who made no argument against the captain's wishes.

As the days went by, Jack felt the pressure increasing. He had to make the _rutter _sessions draw out until the last possible moment. But with England so close, the captain was pressing Jack in an attempt to make him spill the secrets before their arrival. Jack intended to do just that, but at the very last moment.

All of a sudden, there were only two days until their arrival. At the end of the _rutter _session, Jack asked the captain a question.

"Captain, would I be able to bring my friends with me tomorrow?" he asked.

"Why?" the captain replied warily.

"Tomorrow I will tell you the _rutter's _final secrets, secrets that I never even told them. I'd like them to know as well," Jack said. The captain considered him for a moment, seemingly unable to make a decision. Then he nodded. Jack grinned. His plan was falling into place.

**Jack has a plan, but will it be enough for him to escape the monitor alive? Look out for chapter seven and you might just find out.**


	7. Chapter 7: The Plan

**Young Samurai: The Way Back Home**

**Notes:**

**With England in sight, Jack searches for an opportunity to commence his plan of escape. Will it work, or just get him killed?**

**Chapter Seven: The Plan**

The next day, Jack awoke to see a land mass fill the horizon. England. Later that day, Jack, Akiko and Yori sat opposite the captain, Jack reading out the final page of the _rutter. _

"Thank you, Jack," the captain said as he finished, "Now, what-" but he never finished that sentence. Jack had struck his chest with Fall Down Fist, a technique of the ninja that knocked him out cold. Taking their weapons and packs which were kept in the room, each young samurai armed themselves. Jack carefully slid the rutter in its oilskin into his pack as Akiko kicked down the door, flattening the two guards on the other side. They attempted to sneak out, but the sudden collapse of the captain's door didn't go unnoticed.

The crew stared at the young samurai, too stunned to move. At least until the three friends began to run for the side. Akiko strung a hawk feather arrow to her bow while running, shooting down the one crewmember in their way. But more were behind. Reaching the starboard bow, Jack unsheathed his swords and prepared to make a stand.

"Jump!" he shouted to his friends. Without so much as a questioning look, they obeyed. Jack prepared to fight the crew, but instead ran his swords together to create a spark. This spark flew through the air and landed on the trail of gunpowder he had secretly made with handfuls of gunpowder from the barrel in his prison. It had taken days to complete, and an incredibly lucky stroke of good weather to preserve. But now his hard work paid off as the trail ignited, leading right down to the barrels below deck. In a matter of moments, the barrels themselves would ignite with explosive consequences.

Leaving his captors to their fate, Jack dived after his friends and together they swam away. Cannonballs rained down around them, but no one could hit the three tiny targets. The shot soon stopped raining down as a satisfying explosion signalled the destruction of the ship. With the monitor went the captain and all the knowledge Jack had shared with him. Just as Jack had hoped, his plan had worked. Now he turned his attention to the land mass ahead: his home, England.

"Jack, I can't go on!" squeaked Yori. Jack turned to him and saw his little friend's head go beneath the waves. Not wasting a second, Jack took a deep breath and dived underwater after him. His outstretched arms bumped into something soft and he grabbed it, kicking upwards with a force he never knew he had. As Jack and Yori's heads broke the surface, both boys gasped for breath.

"Yori," Jack said between breaths. "Remind me never to take you swimming again."

"I can't continue," Yori gasped, a fresh stream of water filling his mouth. "I'm too tired."

"The mind rules the body. As long as you concentrate on getting to England safely, it doesn't matter how tired you are. You can do it," Jack said confidently, reminding his friend of the lesson they had learned at the Circle of Three. Yori now looked confident and continued to swim.

"Where's Akiko?" asked Jack, not seeing her anywhere.

"Here," called back Akiko from just up ahead. "Sorry, I couldn't resist the opportunity to dive." Jack smiled. Akiko had always enjoyed diving, often going pearl diving in Toba. Jack had almost forgotten the little things that made his stay in Japan enjoyable.

Suddenly, Yori screamed a warning, "Sharks!" Jack looked around in panic, realising that they would be dead in the water if sharks attacked. He spotted the fin protruding from the water and felt his heart stop. Then he was calm again as the fin was followed by a fluked tail.

"Relax, it's just a dolphin!" he called to the others as the dolphin passed by harmlessly.

"A dolphin? We don't have those in Japan," Yori replied, the relief in his voice apparent. Jack thought of their terrified reaction to the dolphin and realised that Yori and Akiko had a lot to learn.

As England drew nearer, fishing boats began to appear around them. Jack tried to attract their attention, but his shouts drifted away on the sea breeze. It looked like they would have to swim the whole way. Then a small rowing boat appeared to be coming in their direction. Jack felt a sense of relief. While he and Akiko were quite comfortable in the sea, Yori was flagging and Jack knew his friend couldn't make it all the way to shore swimming. As the boat came closer, Jack started to shout, but the boat was already coming towards them. It came to a stop beside Jack, who helped Yori on board and climbed up behind Akiko.

"Hey there, what's your name?" the rower asked of Jack as he boarded.

"Jack. Jack Fletcher," he replied.

"Jack Fletcher! I thought you were dead!" the rower gasped. "How did you survive the wreckage of the _Alexandria?" _Jack was surprised that the man knew who he was, but realised it was only to be expected. He himself had heard many tales of sailors lost at sea, and assumed he had become one.

"My friends and I are tired and it's a very long story. Take us to shore and I'll tell you the tale after we've rested," Jack said. The rower agreed and began to push back to the shore. "What's your name?" Jack asked.

"Christopher," the rower replied, grunting with the effort of rowing the boat across the waves. Jack could see Chris was tiring, and thought it best to leave the conversation there.

As Chris pulled the little rowboat into port, Jack, Akiko and Yori clambered out and thanked the rower for rescuing them. Looking upon Sennen Cove for the first time in years, Jack knew they had arrived. But he also knew they had a long quest ahead of them if they wanted to get to London.

**Jack's finally home! In the next chapter, Jack's journey and this story will come to an end. I should have mentioned it in the first place, but this is a short story. Not to worry, though, because this is only the first of a trilogy telling the tales of Jack's adventures in England. Keep reading and don't be afraid to review. Without your comments I can't improve.**


	8. Chapter 8: Home

**Young Samurai: The Way Back Home**

**Notes:**

**Jack Fletcher is finally back in England, but he still has a long way to go. Arriving in Sennen, Jack and his friends must now cross the country to get to London and home.**

**Chapter Eight: Home**

Jack awoke that morning on a hard bed in a cheap inn. Having arrived in England with no money, Jack had been forced to sell an old kimono as "spoils from the Japans". As a foreign object, he had made a lot of money from it, but he knew the money would have to cover his journey from Sennen to London. Hence the less than luxurious accommodation. Yori, still sleeping, was lying in a bed on the opposite side of the small room and Akiko was staying in the room next door. As much as he knew his friends needed rest, he also wanted to get home quickly. The more time they spent resting, the more of their precious money was spent. Jack stood up and crossed the splintered wooden floor to where Yori lay sleeping. Shaking his friend awake, he whispered good morning and told Yori to pack their things. While Yori filled their packs with supplies, Jack tiptoed across to Akiko's room and knocked gently on the door. Akiko, already awake, opened the door and invited him in. Jack stepped into Akiko's room, an exact copy of his and Yori's, but with only one bed. Akiko sat down on the floor and began to pack her belongings away.

"So this is England?" she stated.

"Yes, it is. Don't worry, not all places are like this. My house is actually very neat and tidy," Jack assured her.

"Good. I don't want to live in a place with no regard for hygiene. Speaking of which, where are the baths?" Akiko asked.

"Ah, about that. Baths in England are disease-ridden pools of muck. That's why I was so reluctant to bathe when I first arrived in Toba," Jack explained apologetically. He knew how important personal hygiene was to the Japanese.

"Is there nowhere else I could bathe?" she asked, disappointed.

"Not unless you want to jump in the river," Jack joked. Seeing that Akiko thought he was being serious, he added, "Don't jump in the river. They're even colder here than in Japan." Akiko seemed disappointed, and Jack felt a need to try and make England sound better. He thought for a moment, realising that what he said next could mean the difference between Akiko thinking England was good or bad. Eventually, he said, "We do have means of public transport, though. We could hire a horse and cart and get to London three times as fast." Akiko agreed with the idea and, once packed up, they met with Yori outside.

"Ready to go?" asked Jack. When his two friends nodded, the three walked down the stairs and paid the innkeeper before taking to the streets to find a horse and cart to hire. As Jack walked on the concrete roads, the stench of dung filled his nostrils. He had almost forgotten the acrid smell of the streets, and suddenly found himself missing the cleanliness of Japan. Looking at Yori and Akiko's screwed up faces, he could see that they did too.

"There!" Jack exclaimed, seeing a sign for a rental place up ahead. The young samurai pushed through the crowd, who were surprised at seeing an Englishman with foreign swords in the company of two outlanders.

Entering the stable and rental, Jack greeted the proprietor of the business.

"Greetings, kind sir. Might we hire a horse and cart?"

"Sure thing, kid. Where to?" the man said, barely acknowledging them.

"London," Jack replied. At this, the man looked up and gasped at the appearance of Yori and Akiko.

"And what would someone so young as yourself be wanting in London?" the man asked, not taking his eyes off of the two Japanese in his building.

"We've come here from far away to find my sister, who we believe to be in London," Jack explained, cautious of the man's attention to his friends.

The man sucked air in through his teeth, "Well, that trip's going to cost you."

"We have money," Jack said, taking out the pouch in which he kept the money. The man immediately snatched away the whole bag before emptying it out and counting the coins. Giving Jack only a few back, he pocketed the rest and led them towards an empty cart. Instructing a stable hand to find a suitable horse, the man climbed into the driver's seat of the cart himself and invited the young samurai inside. Taking their seats in the surprisingly comfortable cart, Jack, Akiko and Yori began the journey to London. Jack looked at his friends, then at the streets passing by. He knew the journey would take a few weeks, but he couldn't help feeling excited. He was finally going to be back with his sister, Jess. And that would make his whole journey – all the suffering in Japan – all worthwhile.

**I know this chapter is the shortest, but it's a good place to end.**

**Anyway, that's the end of part one of the trilogy! It was only a short story, but one I enjoyed writing greatly. Keep your eyes peeled for the second instalment in the trilogy: The Way of the English. I can't promise an immediate release, for with the weekend fast coming to an end I won't have the time to work on it much, but just know that it is coming.**

**Thank you for reading, and I hope you've enjoyed reading this. Until next time!**


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